The Devils hope their defense isn’t a mess because, with question marks, it can easily become one. Just ask the Flyers, who were trounced 7-0 in their opener.
The New Jersey Devils open up the season against the Philadelphia Flyers, a team looking to forget their first game of the 2026-27 season. The Flyers hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins and lost 7-0. To put it mildly, the defeat was an embarrassment.
At first glance, the Devils and Flyers look similar. The talent is there, especially in the forward unit. The head coaches know a lot about the X’s and O’s, or hockey systems, but many question their methods and wonder whether they’ll be replaced. Plus, both teams are viewed as murky middle teams in the Metropolitan Division who can go either way.
Both teams have issues on defense. The Devils are hopeful it doesn’t become an issue. The Flyers know it is and must address the weakness, starting with their second game of the season.
The Question Marks On Defense
The preseason is usually when teams find out what their defense pairings look like. However, this season, teams must learn on the fly. That certainly was the case with the Flyers' pairings the other night, and the Devils are hopeful their pairs are ready from day one.
The other question is whether either team has a duo that can shut teams down. The Devils have Brendon Dillon, Brett Pesce, and Johnathan Kovacevic, three stay-at-home defensemen, but they need them to eliminate chances at the net front. The Flyers are expecting Rasmus Ristolainen to be that player, but in their home opener, he and the rest of the unit were far from it, allowing great scoring chances all night.
With all of the questions, the Devils hope they have the answers. While they didn’t make a big move to fix the unit, they have the same group in place and hope this time it’s healthy and takes another step forward.
The Flyers are now reacting to their first game. In an 84-game season, they won’t overreact. However, the way their defense played on opening night was a wake-up call, and it wasn’t just one player that the Penguins picked on; it was the entire unit that played poorly.
The Absence Of A Number One Defenseman Costs Them In Many Ways
Only a handful of teams in the NHL have an elite number-one defenseman. The Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Zach Werenski-caliber defensemen are hard to come by. Those teams take advantage, using their number-one defenseman in all situations.
Not only do they take up plenty of ice time and allow the other defensemen to play better in easier minutes, but they also help the defense in overlooked ways as well. The elite defensemen are great puck handlers, and both maintain possession to help the defense and turn defense into offense.
The lack of a number one defenseman leaves a void. Many assume the issue is on the power play, and to an extent, it is. However, it also changes how the defense is configured and forces the depth to step up.
The Flyers wanted Travis Sanheim to be their answer on the blue line. He’s good but not great, and certainly not elite. That’s why they can’t use him in all situations and instead must rely on Jamie Drysdale, Cam York, and Ristolainen to step up.
The Devils are expecting Luke Hughes to become that number one defenseman. He has the skill on the offensive end but must prove he can become the go-to player. If he doesn’t take that next step, the Devils will have a void without a clear answer on their roster.
The Other Issues The Devils & Flyers Must Address
The Flyers are playing the second game of a back-to-back, and because of that, they’ll get the first look at their new backup. Dan Vladar carried them last season, but Joseph Woll was acquired to take some pressure off him.
The Devils don’t know what the new-look forward unit looks like. Anthony Mantha, Luke Evangelista, Amadeus Lombardi, and Evan Rodrigues are all expected to be in the opening night lineup. None of them were on the team last season. Will the new faces upgrade the Devils?
The first few games are also when teams get a good feel for who has the hot hand and who doesn’t. The Flyers are wondering whether Porter Martone can become an elite player in his rookie season or whether Matvei Michkov bounces back after a rough sophomore season. The Devils are eager to see whether a healthy Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt can take over games as they have in the past and which under-the-radar player breaks out.
The Devils have yet to play a game in the new season, and the Flyers only have one under their belt. That said, both teams have more question marks than expected heading into the season. It makes tonight’s game at Prudential Center a fascinating one, to say the least.
